Shadows
by NekoTaku24433
Summary: That boy with the golden gaze was no more than a shadow in the lives of the 104th Trainees Squad. No one seemed to know where he came from; no one seemed to know who he was. But, when everything was at its darkest, when the shadows seemed to smother any hopes they had left, that boy appeared in their lives again. That boy was the key to survival... That boy was Edward Elric
1. Prologue: A Hardened Gaze

**So...hello again! Yes, yes, I knooow I'm terrible with updating, and I haven't finished two of my chapter fics, and I have a one-shot in the works still, but you know what I say? I DON'T CAREEEE**

**So, yet again shall I start another fic! Cross-overs galore! Yah :D Obviously I don't own either fandoms, otherwise we would get to see Ed's sweet, sweet ass in the Scouting uniform XD For ships, I'll refer to past RoyEd, though in no way will the pairing be predominant. This will not be a romance, so if you want fluff, I recommend you leave. (don't gooo!) Other side-ships are YmirChrista, JeanMarco, maybe some SashaConnie. I don't know yet if I'll do Levi and Eren, but if not them, then either LEvi and Petra of Levi and Hanji. If you have a preference for our beloved Levi's ship, please let me know :D If not Levi Eren though, Eren will not be shipped. I might have a bit of Armin and Annie too, don't know yet. Thanks, read and review!**

*******NOTE: This chapter is only a prologue, in no way will the others be this short. I'll try to update soon, but probably not until I get at least 10 reviews XD I AM SUSCEPTIBLE TO BRIBERYYY**

**Rated T for violence and gore-but hey, we all watched Attack on Titan, so are you surprised?**

* * *

**Prologue: A Hardened Gaze**

Keith Shadis paced down the rows of new trainees, just a bunch of tiny sprouts in over-sized coats. He felt a deep ache in his chest seeing these children-no, soldiers, it was less tragic to think of soldiers dying-all lined up and eager to fight. These kids had no idea the hell they had been signed up for, or that in comparison the rest of their lives would make the next few years feel like a warm summer's eve. Most of them had been pressured into joining by peers and the like, hoping to become heroes. But this war had no heroes; it left only victims.

Yet, walking through, he noticed something in the eyes of a select few. A hardened glare, a stiffness of the shoulders, eyes dark from sleepless night plagues by nightmares and memories; he knew immediately that these people were the ones that understood. These were the ones that refused to remain victims. These were the true survivors.

In respect, he passed them by, drilling those that seemed weak of will, or nonchalant about the entire experience. So, when he saw that girl, hungrily scarfing down a steaming potato, he knew it was time to set an example. The way he handled this would set precedence for how the other trainees would be punished, and whether or not the crime was worth the time.

And as he was bellowing in the girls face, looming over the confused and startled figure, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning, ready to snap at anyone and beat them to next year for interrupting, he was surprised to see one of the _other_ ones. Those molten gold eyes met his, battle-hardened and harsher than any he'd ever seen. A quiet voice broke through the sudden silence, and it was a voice of tired wisdom and suppressed rage.

"Calm down."

Shadis snapped, hand swinging around to crash into the boy's face. To his surprise, the hit struck, but not nearly with the force intended. He felt the boy move with the hit, absorbing the blow with practiced ease. He roared and raged at the two of them, demanding respect and screaming punishments. If they didn't have discipline now, then they would be no more than casualties, another number. And if these brats didn't respect him now, then none of them would. Yet, this boy dared make him lose face in front of the other cadets?

"YOU WILL GO OUT AND RUN AROUND THIS ENCAMPMENT UNTIL YOU LEARN SOME RESPECT!"

* * *

He heard the quiet whispers later as the trainees watched the boy and the girl run around the camp. The girl was a complete mess, gasping for air and barely putting one foot in front of the other. She was frightfully out of shape though. That would teach her a lesson she wouldn't soon forget. A small smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, he turned to go back inside, only to see a glimpse of a figure out of the corner of his eye. Was it…?

Indeed it was! That boy, not just jogging, but _sprinting_, arms held tight to his body, breathing even, was running circles around the camp! He moved with the practiced ease not of an athletic youth, but of a battle-trained soldier with years of dedication and hard work under his belt. At first, he felt a tick of annoyance after having his punishment made a mockery of, but then he couldn't help but smile. That recruit, whoever he was, might even have a chance at surviving this messed up world.

* * *

Several hours later, Shadis felt the corner of his mouth twitch into a smile as he saw the girl collapse from exhaustion. He was making his rounds, making sure all of the brats made it to their dorms. That girl-Sasha, he recalled-seemed like a good enough kid, but without much discipline. As the dainty blond pulled out a soft loaf of bread, still warm, he nodded to himself. These cadets needed to feel that they were united, and if he was their common enemy, so be it. The bonds they forged now may eventually save their lives. It was the little things now that would bring them close together.

As he turned to walk away, he saw the boy from before walk past Sasha and the blond. The blond girl-Christa, was it?- called out to him, pulling out a bit more food. He paused for a moment, smiling his thanks, but politely declining. Shadis felt a stirring of worry; unlike the girl, he hadn't eaten today, and had burned far more calories. Why would he refuse food? Did he have something against the girl?

"Please, take it," he heard Christa whisper urgently. "You must be starving. I saved some of my extra food from dinner." She looked at him, eyes full of concern.

The boy just shook his head though. "I'm fine. You eat it, I'm sure you're still hungry. There's no way that you had enough 'extra' to feed two people." Christa blushed a little, and Sasha shot her a guilty glance as she licked crumbs off of her face.

As the boy turned to walk away once more, Christa called out to him. "W-wait!" He turned to look at her patiently, and she flushed a bit darker. "What's your name?" Shadis frowned to himself. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen a file on the boy….

The boy stepped forward, back straight, eyes focused on Christa. He held out his hand, the corner of his mouth tugging into a smile.

"Edward. Edward Elric."


	2. Chapter 1: Training-That Recluse, Edward

**Okay! It's been a while, huh? I'm sorry that this isn't the update I promised D: I swear that I'll get out a real one soon! This is essentially filler, to get a better grasp on the characters and their personalities. I hadn't even planned on working on this till summer time, but I went of FanFiction and saw the reviews. Twenty nine reviews for one chapter? I'm touched! So, give me a week, and I'll have another out. I SWEAR. Just, let me get finals done with. I threw this together now out of guilt XD Tell me what you want to happen/think, and I promise I'll consider your ideas!**

*****EDIT: Sorry about that "caveman" sentence, it was a typo XD My grammar's not normally that atrocious, I swear! Also, as a note to the people who said Edward seemed out of character:**

**I'm a Fullmetal Alchemist FanFiction junkie; I've read thousands of fanfictions. I'm not exaggerating either. And, in my explorations of the wonders of fanfiction, I've noticed several types of Edwards. Here's a few:**

**1) Mature Ed: Okay, so this is who I'm going for. This Ed is more of a badass, doesn't have as short a temper, and is hella more mature than the beginning of the series. He's more the Ed we see when things are really dark, like when *spoiler* Nina died. This Ed suits this storyline better because he's supposed to be a bit mysterious, a bit withdrawn, a bit of a recluse. When he gets to know everyone better, we'll see more of his snarky side  
2) Idealist Ed: This one is where Ed is rather naive, thinking that the world should abide by certain rules and morals, and he has the shortest temper out of them all. This Ed is most seen in FMA, not Brotherhood. He's totally against killing, and isn't suspicious of anyone. Doesn't really suit this storyline, because this Ed would be more comfortable with talking to the other recruits. Also, this Ed is bad at keeping secrets, and thus bad for universe crossovers as he spills his guts really soon.  
3) Uke Ed: Whenever paired with a guy, we see the submissive, shy, and rather feminine Ed. Not thebiggest fan, as it takes away from his badassery.**

**Ect, ect, ect. So, a lot of people use this Ed, and when I delve more into him, we'll see more of the Ed we know and love. For now though, he's just that reclusive badass. I hope that my choices make a bit more sense. Thanks again! **

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Chapter 1: Training-That Recluse, Edward

Groaning, Eren rubbed the back of his neck as Reiner offered him a hand up. "This is totally useless! We're going to be fighting titans, not people!" The 104th trainee squad had been practicing hand-to-hand combat for the past few hours, though very few seemed to be taking it seriously. "We're never going to use this against titans, so what the hell's the point?" Most of the others seemed to share this mindset, as several cadets were relaxing or just goofing off.

Reiner frowned at Eren as he tossed him the wooden knife. "There will be situations where a soldier cannot back down; it is our duty to be prepared for anything." At Eren's chaste expression, he lightly smacked his back and smiled. "Hey, at least you're trying, unlike those slackers over there." The older boy nodded to Sasha and Connie, who were….being Sasha and Connie. Off to the side, Annie was strolling about, a scowl marring her pretty features. "How about we teach her a lesson on what it means to be a soldier, eh?" Reiner asked, a mischievous expression lighting on his face. He walked off towards the small blonde, a swagger in his step. Eren huffed a small laugh, following him to the aloof girl…

…only to end up face first in the dust, Reiner collapsed by his side. His head still reeled from the impact. Damn, she was good! Groaning, he shifted, only to see a gloved hand shoved in his face. Eren looked up, vivid green eyes meeting striking gold. It was that Edward kid, a small blonde boy that generally kept to himself. He would make the occasional sarcastic comment, and was highly skilled at the maneuver gear, but aside from that, Eren knew little about him. Taking the offered hand with a thankful, if sheepish grin, Eren climbed to his feet. Somewhere in the back of his head he noted the odd stiffness of it, not unlike that of wood or metal. "Annie's a really good fighter, huh?" He asked, rubbing the back of his head. To his surprise, Edward only scowled at him. "I'm sorry, did I say something?" He asked, and the blonde's gaze darkened.

"….tall….."

Eren's brow furrowed in confusion. "I'm sorry, what was that?" He asked, tilting his head slightly. This only seemed to annoy the blonde more.

"I said, you're too damned tall!" He snapped, glaring daggers at him. The brunette blinked in surprise before letting out a short bark of laughter. By the expression on Edward's face, it was the wrong thing to do. "I'm sorry, I guess I take after my dad…" At the mention of Grisha, Eren instantly sobered. After his father disappeared those years ago, he had become a sore topic, and his own offhand comment sent Eren into a dark mood. Edward seemed to sense that however, and gave Eren a light smack up the head. "Hey, what was that for?!" He growled, emerald eyes full of suppressed annoyance.

Edward gave him a withering look. "Want me to teach you how to fight?" He asked. Eren was about to give an angry retort, but the words died at his lips. He blinked, then blinked again. This was a surprise; the blonde was so aloof normally, that for him to offer to spar was unheard of. He was snapped out of his reverie by an exasperated huff. "This offer expires, ya know. Want help or not?" Edward asked. He was obviously uncomfortable.

"But you're so short, how can you help me?" Eren blurted out without thinking…..

…and ended up face first in the dust for the second time today. Groaning, he looked up at a smirking Edward. "Now, what was it that you said?" He asked between clenched teeth. Eren glared, then laughed, embarrassed.

"Damn, you're fast! Forget I said anything otherwise." He grinned, rolling to his feet. From the side, Reiner chuckled.

"That's twice today, Jaeger." The older boy jested. "If you can't even win in a fight against people, how can you beat Titans?" He gave Eren a playful punch in the shoulder. Eren rubbed his arm, smiling.

"Well, I'm just gonna have to train more, aren't I?"

* * *

Eren glared at Jean, fists clenched tightly. "Let go of my shirt!" He snapped. However, the other boy was incensed and beyond reason. He caught sight of Annie out of the corner of his eye, and farther back, Edward. The blonde boy gave him a look that seemed to speak to him. Eren had a feeling that, if he motioned for help, Edward would have Jean sprawled across the ground. But no, this was his fight. As Jean swung at him, he mimicked Annie's actions from before, using Jean's momentum against him and flipping the other teen onto the ground. He saw the glint of approval in Edward's eyes, countered by Mikasa's stern glare.

* * *

Later, as Eren was heading back to the barracks, he ran into the blonde. Literally, ran into. He apologized to the smaller boy, helping him up. "Damn, I'm sorry Edward." Ed just grumbled, dusting off his uniform.

"…it's Ed…"

Eren paused, confused. "What?" The other boy groaned in exasperation.

"My name; you can call me Ed. The only people that call me Edward either hate me or want to kill me." Eren moved to speak, then paused again, obviously confused. Ed just smirked at him, lifting a hand to wave as he turned away. The brunette shook away any questions, heading back to his bed. What a strange boy that Elric was.

* * *

**So yeah, a pretty sucky chapter, and to be honest, its a total filler. But, I figure a little something is better than nothing! I'm gonna post a better one after my finals are over. Gotta study that chemistry! Which, to be honest, is what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing now XD Over the summer though, I'll try to update weekly. Review, tips, ideas galore! And I just wanted to get some of the Eren and Edward friendship dynamic out here. He respects Ed, but thinks he's a bit weird. As of now, they don't know each other well. I guess that that's good bye for now? Adios!**


	3. Chapter 2: Suspicions

**(12/1/15) So I believe an apology is due...**

**I promised a chapter a week later, and it's taken me over a year. My old laptop broke, and the drama and issues of real life overwhelmed me. I'm sorry, I truly am. And this is far from as long as it ought to be, but I only had an hour to type it up. Seeing over a hundred reviews though on a measly two chapters made me want to cry honestly. You guys are the best and I suck. This is for all of you.**

**I'm letting you know right now, I'm going to start on the next chapter tonight. I won't make any promises as to when I have it up, but I'm going to work on it right now. It won't be from Ed's perspective quite yet, but you should be happy with who it is!**

**This is going to be a slow story. Really, really slow. I need to a) get back in the flow of writing this stuff, and b) take the time to develop a nice plot. I love the ideas you guys have left and I do plan on incorporating them! Again, any ships are going to be the barest of mentions. This will have next to no romance, sorry if that bothers you. This will be dark. There will be angst and death and all the like.**

**This is Brotherhood Edward by the way, I can't remember if I clarified that. Attack on Titan will follow the anime as I'm not caught up on the manga at the moment.**

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Chapter 2: Suspicions

Armin watched the other blonde zip past him with a hiss of metal wires and a blast of power from his maneuver gear. He grit his teeth in frustration, though he held no animosity towards the other teen. No, any negative feelings Armin felt were directed toward himself; he couldn't help but compare himself to the small, quiet blonde and find himself falling short. While a recluse, what Edward did reveal of himself to the others was a sharp wit and surprising versatility and strength. Armin suspected that Mikasa only surpassed Edward in ranking because the blonde restrained himself, unwilling to draw too much attention.

Armin's pale blue gaze studied Edward's fluid movements, how he twisted his blades _just so_, shifting his weight to cut away the deepest portion of the faux titan's neck. With a grin, Armin launched himself forward, turning his wrists and leaning forward as his blades encountered the dense cloth on the target's neck. While the mark he cut out was shallower than Edward's, it was certainly more substantial than before, and he felt a faint thrill of success.

Armin considered himself a people watcher. Not in a creepy, voyeuristic way—no, Armin studied people, their behaviors and patterns. Eren had always jested that Arlert was alert, and he couldn't deny it had he even wanted to. His game was using his mind, taking in the clues and breaking down the puzzles. One would be amazed at how much people revealed about themselves in the little things they did, small habits and mannerisms. Armin paid attention to these things, and they in turn paid off with knowledge.

And Edward Elric was the greatest puzzle Armin had yet to crack.

In his usage of the three dimensional maneuver gear alone, Armin was left with a conundrum. He leaned to the side in a way none of the other cadets did, and when Armin had tried to mimic it in the past, he had found himself off-balance. To the sharp blonde, this made no sense; the human body should be symmetrical in its distribution of bone and muscle density, and to any small degrees this was different, only faint shifts in balance should be taken into account. Elric used his 3DMG as if he was compensating for a great weight that wasn't there, turning his body in a way that should throw him completely off to the side in a tangle of wires and tree-branches. Armin had confirmed this himself.

That wasn't the only abnormality Armin had discovered about Elric through training. The other blonde moved with the same practiced ease that Annie demonstrated, a fluid motion of lithe muscles in hand-to-hand combat. This was before any of the cadets had received instruction. Even then, comparing Edward and Annie wasn't quite right. Annie moved like a trained fighter. Edward moved like a veteran soldier.

He always had those gloves on too. No matter the heat, no matter the time, Elric always wore a pair of gloves. Much of the time they were far from pristine, and quite frequently they were crusted in mud and blood. Regardless of this, He refused to remove them.

Come to think of it, Edward was never seen in any state of undress. Armin furrowed his brow in confusion as he thought. He honestly couldn't remember seeing Elric in the communal showers, though the other blonde always had a dripping wet braid in the mornings. For a brief moment he considered the idea of Elric dunking his head in a stream, but dismissed the thought. He should smell more at that point.

Though….he _did_ smell. No, not in the way sweaty teenage boys and hormones reeked, but there was a sharp distinct scent about him. It had an odd familiarity to it, almost like…

_WHAP!_

Armin winced as he veered too close to a tree, a branch lashing him on the cheek. The sharp pain brought him back from his musings, and he launched himself through the air to the next target. It wouldn't do focusing on others like that at the moment. He had a task to do, and with his head in the clouds like that, he would only be a burden.

He never noticed the molten gold gaze trailing after him.

* * *

Armin held the cool metal cup to his swollen cheek, letting it absorb the heat and pain. He laughed along with Eren, though his heart wasn't into the jesting. His thoughts dwelt elsewhere, mainly a few tables over where a quiet blond sat hunched over his food.

Armin couldn't suppress a slight grimace at the way Elric crammed food into his mouth, as if he were a feral beast with hunger clawing at his stomach. Armin couldn't tear away his pale blue gaze away from the other male as he shoveled in food at a disturbing rate. He blinked slightly as a flash of light caught him in the eye, the light from the flames caught at just the wrong angle on a piece of metal and reflected at him.

Wait.

Metal?

Armin narrowed his gaze, focused on Elric's movements. He watched the other teen eat in a nauseating way, and just as he was about to turn back to his friends, he saw it again—a flash of silver, a glint of metal, peeking out from Edward Elric's sleeve.

His motions concealed it once more as the other blonde stood, plate cleared. Armin watched him walk away with the remnants of his bread stuffed in his mouth, blonde braid swinging.

Another piece of the puzzle clicked into place.

* * *

**So Armin is suspicious of Edward. A lot of you mentioned how automail would off-set Edward's balance on the 3D maneuver gear, but in this story I'm having him with the lighter one Winry made for him when he went up north (manga/Brotherhood) and he also compensates for it in his technique. I also think that the fact that it's his arm and leg on opposite sides of his body would help balance it out. **

**As for the smell thing, give it a guess!**

**This was way short and I'm sorry, and there's no dialogue, but a) I'm not used to writing Armin (I never have actually) and b) Armin is a thinker, you know? I don't want Ed's secrets out there just yet, so give it a bit until Armin and the squad confront him. Eren's friends with Edward (sort of) so he won't really be against him. Armin isn't against him either; he has a real respect for him. Edward Elric is an enigma though, and Armin is too intelligent to not jump at a puzzle. Hope you like it!**


End file.
